Magnet-wire assemblies, used in various electrical applications, such as motors, solenoids and transformers, are comprised of one or more wire assemblies and one or more terminals. The wire assemblies, which may be coil, bobbin or field assemblies, are usually created through winding wire in some desired fashion about a core. The terminals, which may be any of a number of configurations, provide means for connecting the ends of the wire assembly to other components in the electrical application.
Terminals may be attached to the wire assembly using a number of methods, in a process generally known as a “termination process.” The termination process might be manual or automated (with the latter category including semiautomated processes.) Whether manual or automated, a termination process typically begins with a wire assembly comprised of a core and wire winding. On the core, and/or other areas on the wire assembly, a terminal attachment area or areas is provided, for affixing the terminal or terminals. For example, a terminal attachment area is often a cavity disposed on a side of the core with the ends of the wire winding extending through the bottom of the core.
If a terminal or terminals is installed within a terminal attachment area and so through the wire end extending through the cavity, an electrical connection is made between the terminal and wire winding. Thus, when the wire assembly is installed in an application, appropriate connections are made to the terminals and the assembly may be energized as desired.
Both wire assemblies and terminals may come in a number of specialized configurations, and so terminal installation may become quite complex. One type of machine that is commonly used in the automated termination process provides a mounting platform, known as a “fixture,” for holding wire assemblies while a terminal is installed on the assembly. Each fixture is customized for holding a desired wire assembly configuration, and differently customized fixtures may be used in the same machine.
In these machines, an operator inserts a wire assembly into a fixture in the machine to begin the termination process. The operator then maneuvers the fixture into position for the termination operation. The machine inserts the desired terminal or terminals into the appropriate area or areas on the wire assembly, which, as noted above, is usually a cavity area or areas. The operator then withdraws the fixture from its position, removes the now-terminated wire assembly from the fixture, and inserts a new to-be-terminated wire assembly in the fixture, beginning a new termination process cycle.
The termination process in these machines is slowed by the operator's need to insert each assembly into the fixture, maneuver the fixture with assembly into an appropriate position for the termination operation, withdraw the terminated assembly and fixture from the termination operation position and then withdraw the terminated assembly. Of course, if a fixture needs changing, such as when a different assembly configuration is to be terminated, the operator needs to change the fixture as well, thus adding to downtime.
Some attempts have been made to improve assembly rates of prior art automated termination machines. For example, prior art machines may allow an operator to unload a fixture with a terminated assembly and load a new to-be-terminated assembly while yet another assembly is processing on the machine. Even with such a machine, each assembly still needs to be loaded individually, and so the overall process is still limited by the need for operator intervention for each assembly.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for automatically terminating wire assemblies.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for automatically terminating wire assemblies through use of fixtures that provide for multiple assembly loading and unloading.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture for automatically terminating wire assemblies through use of fixtures that provide for multiple assembly loading and unloading, including automatic fixture ejection.